The debate that is raging in the public domain, which is likely to be finalised in Mangaung, is intended to produce results that will have a meaningful impact on the lives of communities in the rural areas. There is no doubt about that.
Let me also enquire from Robert Pirsig, someone else who thinks about things in a systematic manner. He wrote in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintance: An Inquiry into Values:
If a factory is torn down, but the rationality which produced it is left standing, then that rationality will simply produce another factory. If a revolution destroys a government, but the systematic patterns of thought that produced that government are left intact, then those patterns will repeat themselves ...
Our task in the department, and in government as a whole, is to undo the conditions that give rise to poverty, unemployment and inequality, which are found especially in rural areas.
Our collaboration - working together with other departments, especially Education, both Higher and Basic, as the Minister said earlier on - is crucial to the underpinning of the socioeconomic infrastructure that we are laying down in these areas. The criteria that all infrastructure must be environmentally sensitive, underpin spatial integration, banish rural isolation and create jobs is crucial to overturning the problematic structure of the South African economy today. For 100 years there has been no significant change in the structure of the South African economy, and we will by no means be able to address the problems in the rural areas unless we address the structure.
In fact, Chairperson, the Minister has for this reason placed great emphasis on creating a workforce of officials that must display dynamism. They must be committed, passionate, informed and energetic in the work that they do.
For them to do their work properly, we must pay special attention to the tools of their trade, to expanding and deploying information communication technology in a very strategic manner. I am convinced that the fuller utilisation of information and communication technology has enormous potential to improve our responsiveness internally and externally to the public we serve, in the manner in which the Minister was describing here. Indeed, interesting things are already happening.
Witness how solar energy has enabled rural schools to operate computers and enabled scholars in these areas to study at night. This simple technology is making a huge difference in the lives of our rural communities, and it can do more. The sun is not about to go out in those areas!
We are excited by the enthusiasm of the Ministry of Communications and its team of officials in working with us on this project. Look at what has happened in communities where ICT centres have been built. It brings a new spirit to the entire community. These centres quickly become community hubs, where traditionally people enjoy sharing cultural and community knowledge. Now we add technology to this communal mix, and the world of knowledge that technology makes available - particularly information that can make a difference - brings about major development in those areas.
This is partially a function of communications, and communications is the crucial tool required to ensure that we are responsive to the needs and aspirations of our people. For this reason we have undertaken an extensive review of our communications unit in the department to make certain that we are able to communicate more speedily and effectively. We remain committed to enabling people to access our information and services readily and rapidly, as well as empowering our officials with the knowledge and skills necessary to harness knowledge to improve service delivery.
This year we will implement a comprehensive communication strategy to dramatically change how we communicate, internally and externally, including with you, hon members. I am sure members have heard the saying that a fish lays a thousand eggs but says nothing about it, but we must learn from the hen, which lays one egg and a thousand or more people in the village know about it.
We want people to be able to access the full range of services that this department offers. We possess some of the best cadastral and spatial planning systems in the world. The cadastre is the comprehensive register of our nation's real estate, including its quantity, ownership and value. Yet we do not showcase it sufficiently for people to know about it.
We have some of the most up-to-date mapping, surveying and deeds registration systems which, if utilised properly, could make a huge difference to our people's lives, and we are working on this. We are continuing to maintain and improve our control survey network systems to further develop our industry which deals with the digitisation of all the cadastral survey and Deeds Office records. It will take our surveying control and deeds registration operations to new heights, where we benefit from the developments in the ICT environment to deliver world services to everyone we serve.
To date we have scanned 88 million paper-based images as part of the digitisation aspect of the e-cadastre effort. This project, which is expected to be completed in 2013, will have a huge impact on turnaround times in land transactions, from four to two days.
However it would be a mistake to think that everything is rosy. We are constrained by our not yet strong enough ability to employ appropriately skilled professionals in the surveying, deeds, and town planning fields.
As a proactive initiative, the training to which the hon member across there refers selectively is crucial in bringing about a difference. It demonstrates what we are capable of achieving if we work across government to give opportunities to young people to make a huge difference. We are using our bursary system for this purpose.
A variety of departments across government, together with the state-owned enterprises, own vast tracts of land. We are bringing this fragmented ownership together.
Hon Trollip, the reason we must ensure we have this database is not for surreptitious nationalisation. We will tell you when we are going to do that, if we come to the conclusion that it must be done. Do not undermine our determination to correct the wrongs of the past. [Applause.] [Interjections.]